Five student-athletes from Stanford University are recently drafted to the NFL: Joshua Garnett, Austin Hooper, Blake Martinez, Kevin Hogan and Kyle Murphy. With this, the University now reportedly leads the Pac-12 Conference in terms of the most draft choices these past five years, which amount to 24.
Garnett the offensive guard will play with the San Francisco 49ers, the Stanford Athletics Official Site reported. He was awarded a Morris Trophy before, for being Pac-12 Lineman of the Year. Meanwhile, psychology major Austin Hooper was picked by the Atlanta Falcons. Hooper was a Mackey Award finalist and a Pac-12 All-Academic honorable mention as well.
Quarterback Kevin Hogan is picked by the Kansas City Chiefs. The Virginia native has a prestigious standing and athletic history with the University, and was a team captain for two years. He led the Stanford Cardinal towards not one but two Rose Bowl victories, plus a Foster Farm Bowl win on their proverbial belt, as well.
Both Kyle Murphy and Blake Martinez are headed to Green Bay Packers, as ESPN reported. Martinez is a linebacker from Arizona who was a semifinalist for the Butkus Award and a quarterfinalist for the LOTT Impact trophy. He was also awarded the Rotary Lombardi Award and the Nagurski Trophy.
Murphy is a Californian who majors in science, technology and society. He started left tackle in all his fourteen games as a senior, and the Packers decided to use their final pick for the season on him. He was the third player from Stanford that the Packers picked these past two seasons, with the above mentioned Martinez as one and wide receiver Ty Montgomery as the other.
Stanford University has a long history with professional football teams that apparently go as far back as 1936. The number of drafted student-athletes since that time was reported to be 262 players.
